How many angels will fit on the point of a snowflake?
How many hopefuls rejected or simply ignored?
Will you contend that the answer depends on the climate,
while you process their halos and bend them to fit through your queues?
How many angels will fit on the point of a snowflake,
after you’ve claimed it for country and claimed it for Queen?
Only the ones who will promise unswerving commitment,
to guard our native strand and British souls.
Rise from your knees those angels whom we’ve chosen
to share our land, our Murray and our might.
Be thankful that we find you fit to fit you in -
stand to attention, and advance Australia, fair.
January 26, 2009 at 4:57 pm |
Thanks Dave and Amuirin for the line and the train of thought that ended here.
January 26, 2009 at 8:29 pm |
You have worked wonders with them – they are yours now! Well done.
January 27, 2009 at 3:24 am |
Very cool!
January 27, 2009 at 8:14 am |
That’s a very original take and wonderfully made too. I tempted to quibble with the idea of Queen and British, but perhaps we better get that formalised in a Republic first. It would be nice if we could fit all the angels in.
January 27, 2009 at 6:38 pm |
Ha! again… o clever you.
I kept expecting the rhyme on the fourth line. It was kinda cool how you took the brain swerving elsewhere unexpectedly.
When is a poem like a rollercoaster…
January 28, 2009 at 11:48 am |
Rock on Australia!
Love the line ‘Be thankful that we find you fit to fit you in -’
January 29, 2009 at 12:21 pm |
Good!
January 29, 2009 at 12:53 pm |
An interesting take on a complicated theme. I quite like the last stanza, but perhaps not in the way it’s intended.
January 29, 2009 at 5:55 pm |
I love your brain. And I share this sentiment.
January 30, 2009 at 7:30 am |
Wow!!! you’ve quite intelligently expressed your thoughts on an other complicated theme. I am a fan now!!!
February 1, 2009 at 5:17 am |
i love the formality of the structure – ‘rise from your knees those angels whom we’ve chosen’ – fantastic.
February 2, 2009 at 7:13 am |
This is quite lovely and majestic, very patriotic too. Belated happy Australia Day.
February 3, 2009 at 9:56 am |
Hmmmm, this is quite a tribute and I am filled with a mix of emotion about it. The vision of angels and snowflakes is beautiful… the whole sentiment of the poem is hopeful and true. Unfortunately as a Limey, it is almost unheard of for us to show any patriotism unless we have our backs against the wall. I wrote a poem during the Olympics which slammed the idea of doing it for Queen and Country, haha. I think perhaps I am envious of this ability to feel such pride for your nation but then I quite like being part of the rebellious voice in my country, that has called an end to the monarchy. Tsk, but that’s all politics and I admire the fact that you have taken a very critical aspect of poetry; to reflect the current mood and environment of the modern day and to weave it into beautiful prose. Fabulous.